


Perfect

by scattered_pages



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Also Collège Françoise Dupont girls' friendships are the best and need to be mentioned more, But I regret nothing, F/M, Fluff, Lukanette is the main focus ship but I peppered in cute moments of some of my other fave ships, Multi, So I'm throwing in this bundle of happiness, So cheesy you can make a grilled sandwich out of it, This fandom has been way too sad and angry lately, because we need it, shameless fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-20
Updated: 2019-11-20
Packaged: 2021-02-13 14:03:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21495487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scattered_pages/pseuds/scattered_pages
Summary: For some, it is the end of just another school year. For some it's the final step they leave behind before University. And some fear they might be left behind as well. But there is nothing like a party under a moonlit sky, some close friends and just a pinch of straight-out-of-a-movie romance to make it all better and carry all the worries away.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Kagami Tsurugi, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, Juleka Couffaine/Rose Lavillant, Luka Couffaine & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Max Kanté/Alix Kubdel
Comments: 17
Kudos: 97





	Perfect

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired by this cover ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uQ5A-jeMBA ) because it sounded SO much like it was Mari and Luka singing and ten pages later, this happened. Feel free to listen during the appropriate time of the fic when it's mentioned for full cuteness effect.
> 
> Cheesy fluff in the best way possible, hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. ♥

Conservatoire de Paris. One of the best places to study music in the world. And Marinette could hardly suppress her pride for her now boyfriend of two years who has been able to get in on a full scholarship there. Not that she was surprised, she listened to him practice for his audition for months and months prior, she knew how astounding he would be in front of the judges when the day comes, but honestly, to her, whenever Luka held a guitar, it seemed like the music just came so naturally to him – everything just sounded beautiful from the first time that he tried to play it . He filled every song with something new and special, making it obvious to anyone listening just how much he loved what he was doing and how much of his heart was embedded in his music. Perhaps this was the reason why he was starting to get more noticed, and not just by Universities. In his last year of lycée, he already started to do some small performances at local cafe shops. He knew that, if you want to make music for a living, which he was very determined to do, you need to start very early and get noticed very early on as well, and Marinette knew this. But there was something very, very bittersweet about her seeing him less and less with each passing day.

Of course, she was busy with school and her own projects as well, but as soon as Luka celebrated his 18th birthday and started making plans for University, organizing his own music gigs, taking on bigger and bigger responsibilities, it seemed suddenly like he was in a whole different world from her. It's not that she felt like a kid next to him suddenly, it's just that _he _suddenly seemed like so much… _more _than she was. Luka was always so close, so safe, a harbour ready to hold her without her even needing to say it, there if she as much as hinted at needing him for anything, but now, he was suddenly growing distant. He kept telling her that it's just temporary, that in a year or so, she will get into her desired school, the IFA School of Fashion and Design, which is just a couple of blocks away from the conservatory and even on the busiest days, they could hang out and spend all their breaks and free time together, that everything will be so much easier and back to normal then.

And late at night when they would sit on he balcony, under the stars that always seemed that much brighter when he was there next to her, he would hold her hands and pepper her hair and cheeks with kisses as they discussed all the perfect little cafes and hangout spots along that route between their schools where they would meet every day and drink their favourite coffee and talk about classes and their days. He said he would serenade her at least once every day with any song he would be playing at practice that day because he will never be happy with how it sounds until she approves it and at the end of the day they would meet up and go home together, hand in hand, like they do now. Maybe even to the same home, maybe they'll even rent out a little apartment of their own? If they manage to save some money by then and if their side-projects will bring some extra funds in. He would tell her of all of these plans with gleaming eyes and the warmest smile she could imagine a human being could hold without being an angel and then, in his arms, under the stars, she would believe him, completely.

But now, she only knew the cold, harsh reality crashing onto her more each day. Her school was far too far away from the conservatory for them to meet for lunch breaks or coffee or serenades. And it was notorious that first year conservatory students need to put in insane amounts of practice time to establish themselves early enough, to be able to keep their scholarship and to potentially already catch an eye of any scouts or professors that might help them with further education or work. There was a huge pressure for all students of the arts in their first year, and most likely it will be the same for Marinette as well, she knew this, but there was this one selfish little thorn in her heart that terrified her. Terrified of how little she will see him. Of how the boy that was always there for her and for whose love she never had to fear or fight is now already a handsome, well-loved young musician that will spend a year away from her, away from middle school and high school, now grown up, surrounded by his peers, colleagues as mature as he always was and people who will make him see how he deserves someone so much better than someone like _her._ Because, while she was confident being Ladybug and she believed in herself when it came to her duties for the city, she was still, even after a couple of years of growing as a person, shaky about believing in just _Marinette Dupain-Cheng_.

Most of this, she kept firmly for herself, even though Luka could scramble through her disguise and see through any of her worries so easily sometimes that it embarrassed her and made her feel that much more immature because Luka, she was sure, would _never_ feel this way if the situation was the other way around. He would wish for her success and happiness above all else, his feelings not mattering, he would trust her and he'd be confident enough to get through this with patience and grace. Or he would just move on. Like he will maybe move on now. Because there is an extremely minor percentage of high school couples and child crushes that stay together once they grow up, get that first real taste of adulthood during University, find themselves anew and realize that they now want something different or something better. He didn't know that she had her own mature, calm, collected and sophisticated persona every time Paris called for help. He only knew and had the mess of the ordinary every-day Marinette that she felt she was.

And the passing time and his graduation having happened just two weeks ago has been reminding her very firmly and consistently that they are _both_ not children anymore. That there is a whole wide world outside of her school and their rooms and nights on her terrace under the stars. Until now, they were, naturally, aware of these other circumstances and things to come, but they were still blessed enough to be kept in the cocoon of just being young, having enough time, of liking each other and just having lesser responsibilities in everything – well, at least in her and Luka's civilian life. Along with that, came also the lower expectations for their relationship. But now? Now maybe this little warm, happy relationship with the clumsy, emotional Marinette was no longer such an attractive concept. And the sad thing was, a teenage relationship wasn't a concept she was happy with anymore either, she wanted it to be more real, more serious, she dreamed of that potential apartment of theirs and of their lives together far more than she thought he did – she didn't want a future without him and yet, she was certain that his future could do just fine without her.

And so, the afternoon before the boat party that Anarka and Juleka had organized to celebrate his admission into the conservatory, gathered in Juleka and Luka's room with just all of her girls, after Alya asked her a simple and light-hearted „Hey, do you think Luka will like you better with this adorable shimmering violet eyeshadow or a sexy and sophisticated beige with a fierce cat-eye?“, Marinette, much to Alya's and everyone's shock and confusion, broke down like a house of cards. A brief while later, and she had _finally_ told her best friends about all of her worries that she feared were perhaps paranoid and childish but also indicative of an inevitable future in front of her, her face resting in her hands and her eyes steadily tearing up…

Alya and Rose exchanged worried glances, „Marinette…“, the red-haired girl placed a hand on her shoulder softly, „You do realize Luka has been madly in love with you since you've met, right? I mean, the guy has been composing songs celebrating his love for you since day one, and that is usually only a thing Level 10 - Darcy, thirty-year old main male protagonists do in romantic movies for their soulmates after they've known them for ages.“

„Hmm… what would a _Level 5 – Darcy _be then?“, Rose suddenly mused, puzzled, as she patted light strokes of pink on her cheekbones, but Alya ignored her, „I'm serious, girl, you are overthinking things far, far too much, and while that has sometimes been good in the past, this time it's really not warranted.“

„No… _Seriously_…“, Juleka nodded her head, raising her eyebrows, „It's_ reaaally_ not warranted…“

All eyes whipped to the purple-haired girl sitting in the corner of the room, even Rose, sitting in front of her, whose hair she was combing up until a second ago.

„Oh, crap…“

„No, no, Juleka… _Do_ go on…“, Alya pressed carefully, inching closer to her now very regret-filled friend…

„Yeah, Juleka… W-What do you mean?“, was all Marinette managed to blurt out.

Juleka giggled nervously, „I am… well-… that's what I _think_ at least, I mean, you two are crazy in love, he adores you, you're destined to be together forever, it's obvious, and that's all that there is to it, not that I… got that impression influenced by anyone else's thoughts and… stuff, haha… _No_…!“, her grin was so stiff and stressed, Rose had a feeling it hurt her face somehow just by maintaining it.

Alya crossed her hands across her chest, very much unamused and unconvinced, now joined by Kagami stepping up next to her. „Spill it, buttercup!“

„I can administer physical force if needed“, the dark bob-haired girl offered politely. Or at least she thought that was polite?

„No!!! I mean, I-…“, her fist met her forehead with a loud grunt of frustration, „He is my big brother, we have a _trust bond_! We don't spill secrets!“

„Okay so, a) as a girl with many siblings, I can guarantee that a _trust bond_ regarding secrets is a very, very fickle, hardly existing thing among brothers and sisters and b), this is a life and death situation!“

Marinette raised her hand gingerly, „Well, m-maybe not a life or death s-„

„It is a life or death situation, Juleka, the life or death of the love that _our_ friend and _your_ brother share!“

„_JESUS_, Alya…“, Alix jumped.

„I am kind of scared for whoever she interviews first when she gets her first serious, full-time reporter job… I mean, she'll do a kickass job, I just don't wanna be in their shoes with any of _my_ secrets…“, Mylène said, hugging her knees closer to herself, but Alya once again tuned out anyone except the most crucial person that she need to hear right now.

„Okay…!“ Everyone turned to glare at Juleka again. „I'll tell you but, _ugh_, his disappointment is going to guilt trip me into my grave if he finds out I told you guys,_ especially_ Marinette, about this, so, please, keep this between us, alright?“

The room full of curious, perfectly quiet faces seemed to have nodded almost in unison.

„Luka… Is just as terrified of losing Marinette through the next year...“

Marinette clutched at her chair, seemingly trying to see if she heard what she thought she did. Her eyes started prickling with tears again, but she simply took a deep breath and tried to remain calm.

„I knew it… He has doubts about us… About _this_…“, she shook her head, her knuckled against the chair white, „This is never going to be anything but a teenage crush-fuelled relationship, _I knew it_…“, her voice betrayed her at the end of that sentence, her palm rushing to cover her mouth, embarrassed to be this broken about this so soon, so easily and to such an extent, even when she saw it coming, and she was breaking down again in front of everyone to make it worse, who were all back into a common state of confusion, now wondering if _they_ heard something different than she did, but Juleka quickly made her way to her friend and knelt on the carpet next to her, taking the other girls' hands into her with gentle reassurance.

„_No_, Marinette! The exact opposite!“, a gentle smile formed on Juleka's face.

The purple-haired girl let out a quiet chuckle, „Mari, he wanted to _marry_ you the moment he met you… Ever since that first time you guys met, he came later to mom and me, and you know what _ridiculously _cliché and romantic thing he said? He just sat down and casually said, fully convinced, calm and certain, _'Guys, you know how every artist has that one special person that inspires them and just awakes something in them like one else did or ever will in their life? I wasn't sure if I really believed that, but… I think I found that person'_, and it was so cheesy and so beautiful and he had a smile so dopey and happy, truly gleefully happy, that mom and I haven't seen on him since dad left. I mean, Luka is a very chill, optimistic guy, but you make him feel _ecstatic_, Marinette, always have!“

Rose covered her cheeks, smiling in tender awe as she let out a quiet coo at the story, but Marinette only shook her head once more, „That was years ago, he was a kid, he didn't know me, he was maybe, uhm…“, her eyes darted nervously across the floor, „Maybe just_ projecting_ something onto me, without knowing me fully, I could_ never_ be that girl!“

„But you are, you _still _are, Mari, he's scared about the _exact _same things that you are! He may only be nineteen, but to him, right now, this is _for life_!“, Juleka grinned.

Marinette bit her lower lip as she looked back at Juleka, a tentative, unsure smile forming slowly on her face, „_For life_?“

Her friend nodded, quite cheerfully.

„See, I knew that you had _absolutely_ no reason to worry!“, Alya wrapped her arms tight around her and started beaming, fully convinced that everything is okay now, even though Marinette seemed to still be slightly worried and unconvinced.

„Well, maybe not the same, exactly…“, Juleka mused and everyone was once again staring at her in sheer panic, Marinette included. Marinette _especially_. „He thinks kind of the opposite of what you do…“

„Wait, _what_?!“, Alix stood up but Alya waved her back down.

„Let her finish…“

„He thinks...“, Juleka continued, „That you'll feel far too shackled, being with someone as busy as he will have to be next year and that you would potentially feel more free and happy with someone from school, someone who can be there for you… That once he's going to be away for a bit, you'll realize that you don't need him at all. Oh, and there was a mention on one particularly weirdly emotional evening when he was particularly chatty, which he _seriously_ very seldom is, about something like, Adrien swooshing in on you in his modelling suit, atop a white horse, taking the love of his life and riding away with her into the sunset forever without him as much as standing a chance now… It was a few days after his 18th birthday so mom let him try this new blueberry liquor she got and he drank that thing like he was drinking juice…“, she scratched at her head, „Yeah, that probably wasn't a good idea, good thing mom didn't notice how much of that bottle was missing…“

„That's… A very detailed and specific worry…“, Mylène commented while Alix seemed to have tried to stifle a laugh.

„_Tell me about it. _I now know that, under all of that calm and resigned exterior, my brother is an extremely emotional drunk… And that is the most embarrassing type of drunk to be.“

„Hold on…“, Marinette suddenly intervened, „But he _knows_ I'm completely over Adrien, he knows I love _him_ more than anything, that's ridiculous!“

„And so are you!“, Alix and Mylène now shouted practically at the same time.

„ 'Cause both of you, and we say this with much love for you both, are acting really silly about nothing right now“, Mylène gently added, with Alix, along with everyone else, nodding in agreement.

„So…“, Marinette looked aside, in thought for a moment, „He worries about us as well? As in, he wants us to stay together even after lycée?“

„He's _terrified _is a more likely way to describe it… And he's being horrifyingly selfless and masochistic about it as he usually is, except now it's even worse…“, her eyes rolled beneath a mild frown, a gesture made in a very worriedly disapproving fashion, which now made it fully known that she never really approved of this particular self-damaging streak of her brother's inner thoughts and doubts and she has always tried to influence him in any way possible that would steer this in a different direction. But he almost always kept these fears to himself and no one was ever able to really fully ease them. Marinette, perhaps, came the closest to this.

„He's kind of…“, she continued carefully, „ …I would say easing himself into the fact that this supposed 'inevitable end' is coming because he wants you to be happy and he doesn't want to do anything to spoil it… He thinks, now that he loves someone so much, and now that you've been together for two years, that he'll mess it up like our dad did…“, she looked to the floor as the girls exchanged ruefully sad, quiet glances. Suddenly, this happy discussion of encouragement that was supposed to cheer up their friend reached a much deeper than anyone thought it might.

Marinette, though, was broken. He should _never_ have felt this much self-blame and doubt because of her, _never_. He should have never been scared to confide these things to her, and yet, she realized, here she was, worrying her own worries, sharing them with anyone but him, while the person that meant to her the most in this messed up world was spending time stressed and self-deprecating because of fears that lay as deep as these do, worries she should have been able to wipe away and replace with nothing but happiness, as he deserved.

„So yeah…“ Juleka sighed, „He'd never be able to say this to you, even though you guys could then _actually_ talk about this to each other and see that you're both just being huge goofs in love right now.“

There was dampness in Marinette's eyes again, but this time it came on the rush of a completely different set of emotions. She let out a relieved but rueful chuckle. „Oh, my god, I need to talk to him...“

„Or…“, Alya offered grinning slowly, „You could… use the communication method that Luka likes the most and is most comfortable with to make your point?“, her eyebrow cocked as she looked at Marinette knowingly. The raven-haired girl smiled widely, instantly knowing what she meant.

„I have an idea...“

After some time, the girls finally all got ready and left Juleka's quarters, ready to join the party. In front of the main part of the deck, Alya spun in her frilly deep crimson skirt excitedly.

„Ooh, I am ready for some _dancing_!“, she exclaimed and pointed a finger in front of her, making a beckoning motion, „And _here_ comes my ever-dashing partner for the night!“

Nino took her hand and spun her in his arms with surprising grace and flair, „Nah, I'm sorry, you've put up with me for so long, now you're stuck with me for _way_ longer than one night“, he shrugged, amused, and Alya kissed the tip of his nose.

„Oh, whatever shall I do?“, with a grin, she waved good-bye for the moment to her friends as she and her boyfriend moved to the large front deck which now served as an improvised dance floor.

Kagami laughed quietly, almost like silver bells against the loud music, „They're such a cute couple…“

The girls absolutely glared at her in shock and she raised her arms in submission, „What? I can't be a _bit_ romantic sometimes? Sheesh… I'm going to go look for Adrien. These shoes are as violent as they are beautiful and I want at least one dance with him before I lose the ability to walk ever again…“, she pecked Marinette on the cheek and gave her a supportive smile, „Good luck, bestie!“, and with that, disappeared in the crowd.

„S-She's still not eighteen, right? She shouldn't be drinking yet, _right_?“, Mylène nudged Rose worriedly, but the latter just laughed and gazed into the sky in sweet bliss, „Kagami isn't drunk! On a happy, magical night like this, romance is evoked even in the most reserved…“, she sighed, content, and Juleka took that as her queue to take her hand and interlock their fingers delicately.

„Speaking of, it's a completely bright night tonight and there's a really nice crescent moon out there… Wanna go stargazing a bit in peace and quiet before we start partying?“, a blushing smile graced her face as she looked at her girlfriend with adoring eyes.

The petite blonde wrapped herself around her sweetheart's arm completely and leaned her head on the her shoulder, closing her eyes. „Sounds perfect...“, she whispered, as Juleka waved briefly and then they both disappeared as well.

„Well… it's officially time for mission _'Looove'_ now!“, Mylène exclaimed and straightened out her skirt before she rushed to Ivan, leaning to whisper something in his ear. He grinned and then they both nodded before she showed Marinette a very clear 'thumbs up'. With this, Ivan left somewhere through the dancing crowd of their friends and classmates and Max suddenly appeared, eyes absolutely sparkling when he saw Alix in her gorgeous shorts and black blouse combo, red lipstick on her lips and her eyes accentuated in a way that made him stutter. He parted his mouth to speak but nothing audible came out.

Satisfied, but slightly flushed nonetheless, she chuckled, „Get your jaw off of the floor, boy, and take me dancing“, she winked at him teasingly and Max could do nothing but nod his head with a wide grin and to immediately comply as Marinette waved at them with a smile before they, too, got lost in the crowd.

And so, Marinette was alone. With a deep breath, she waited patiently for Ivan to peek from the top of the dancing and laughing pile of people gesturing an 'OK' sign in a way that seemed far too excited to be subtle, but, in high hopes that the one that matters for this plan didn't notice any of this suspicious behaviour, she made her way to the stage, set up at the very upper part of the deck, where Luka was already sitting with his guitar resting casually in his lap, just chatting with Ivan happily. Like straight out of a movie, he was a dashing vision of blue locks against a beautiful mixture of moonlight and the warmly glowing string lights set all around the ship, of sparkling azure eyes and by now quite strong but relaxed shoulders resting underneath a white shirt with the first two buttons undone just enough to make her bite her lip. And, most importantly, that relaxed, happy grin was resting on his face that made her feel warm in her heart whenever she saw it. The blue eyed girl couldn't stop the rush of blood to her cheekbones. He was somehow always so effortlessly beautiful and yet never quite aware of it at all and it broke her heart.

He suddenly waved goodbye to Ivan briefly and settled slightly in his seat, reaching for the microphone. Marinette took a deep breath.

„Okay, guys so, we have a _lot_ of couples here tonight, so I was requested to, uhm, '_set up the mood_', I was told?“, he grinned again.

And Marinette almost burst laughing along with half of the crowd before she looked over to Ivan who promptly gave her a big thumbs up again, Mylène facepalming next to him, obviously thinking, just as Marinette did in that moment that, while this was so far quite subtle as to the true agenda of the requested song, it wasn't really subtle in pretty much anything else.

Luka's quiet laughter echoed warmly from the microphone and brought her attention instantly back to him. Combing his hair back slightly, he grinned, „So… since this party was so kindly and graciously organized in my honour, obliging to my guests' wishes is the least I can do. So without further ado…“ Another dazzling smile, and his fingers started to slowly strum a familiar tune across the strings.

Another deep breath and Marinette climbed the stage with her own microphone in hand. It took him a second to notice, but when he did, Luka's lips parted a few seconds before the lyrics started and, even though he continued playing, he was now too frozen in surprise to sing out anything. It is important to know that Marinette very rarely sung. Luka was, as she found out eventually, a very good singer and started accompanying his guitar with vocal performances more and more. But Marinette was quite shy about performing anywhere other than in her shower or casually in the solitude of her room. She occasionally hummed along to his guitar or while she was working or reading, but Luka didn't really know that Marinette had a voice that was, while very gentle, also quite lovely at singing. And if any moment called for her to showcase this, it was definitely now. Marinette smiled, promptly using the opportunity that his confusion gave her. Her voice was quiet, but her eyes stared directly into his, crimson now returning to her cheeks slowly.

_„I found a love… for me_  
Darling just dive right in  
And follow my lead“

He grinned lovingly and was extremely happy to continue, his gaze never once letting go of hers.

_„Well I found a girl… beautiful and sweet_ _  
I never knew you were the someone waiting for me“_

Their voices then melted together, eyes looking at each other like they were completely alone, like the words of the song were somehow tailored just for them, like they were their silent confessions, shared only with each other.

_„ … 'Cause we were just kids when we fell in love_

_Not knowing what it was_  
_I will not give you up this time_  
_But darling, just kiss me slow, your heart is all I own_  
_And in your eyes you're holding mine…“_

And in reality – this song truly was a near perfect fit for how they were feeling. It didn't matter that it was, by now, vastly overplayed since it came out to some, it didn't matter that it became a cliché slow-dance tune at every wedding or prom, the song was still one of their favourites.

_„Baby, I'm… dancing in the dark with you between my arms“_

They actually often had it playing on late nights cosied up next to each other as they talked or studied or simply enjoyed being next to one another because, sometimes, it was all they both needed in that moment.

_„Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favourite song“_

It was also present there in the background when Marinette was teaching Luka how to dance because his school dance was approaching. In the beginning it was a tangled up mess of bare feet against his carpet and Luka using each chance any second of clumsiness gave them to sweep her in his arms, pull her close to him and chuckle, their foreheads touching, because he thought it made her incredibly flustered and shy in the sweetest way possible.

_„When you said you looked a mess, I whispered underneath my breath_ _  
But you heard it… darling, you look perfect tonight“_

Luka perfectly strummed out the tender riff that followed the refrain, only taking a second to tear his eyes away from her before they met her gaze again and it made her smile even wider. Any semblance of the initial stage fright seemed to be non-existent at this point. Not here, not with him.

_„I've found a woman… stronger than anyone I know“,_ he smiled.

And Luka truly did have a way of battling through any and all anxieties and doubts that she had. He didn't yet know about Ladybug, but somehow, he didn't have to, he just knew how to make her feel better even when he didn't know all the information behind something that stressed her. And if he said she could, she truly believed she _could_ do and achieve anything she wants, because he knew just the right way of understanding her and delicately awakening her sometimes crushed and hidden self-belief that was usually hiding deep, deep within her heart. But she never fully knew how much he loved her for all her flaws and strengths alike.

_„She shares my dreams, I hope that someday I'll share her home…“_

His voice and his eyes were so sincere, a vow that he sang meaning every letter and every word. In the front of the audience, Alya held onto Nino's hand firmly and cooed quietly at how this made Marinette grin and blush with blissful happiness before she continued singing…

_„I found a love, to carry more than just my secrets_

_To carry love, to carry children of our own…“_

_ „We are still kids but we're so in love_  
_Fighting against all odds_  
_I know we'll be alright this time“_

The way Luka joined her voice with his own here was completely pure and bare. Making it very obvious to anyone seeing them why he always claimed that he was most skilled and comfortable expressing himself through music, because to him, there was a little part of him in every song he sang or played. But in this one, even though it wasn't his, was somehow his entire heart.

_„Darling, just hold my hand_  
_Be my girl, I'll be your man_  
_I see my future in your eyes“_

The second refrain came along and by now Marinette was absolutely smitten with this moment. If there was any way to ease any of his worries about them, as well as her own, she knew that this would work, but she was overwhelmed with how beautiful this actually was.

  
_„When I saw you in that dress_  
_Looking so beautiful_  
_I don't deserve this_  
_Darling, you look perfect tonight“_

Luka strummed the slow instrumental interlude, mouthing a wordless '_I_ _love you'_ to Marinette as he did so and she mouthed it back with a grin, her fingers adorably forming a heart shape in front of her chest. In the crowd, Alya and Nino enjoyed their slow-dance in utter bliss. Juleka held Rose in her arms from her back as they swayed slowly to the song. Alix and Max were resting their heads on each other shoulders as they danced quietly and they looked so sweet and happy that Chloe, standing near, just smiled softly at them as she sat next to Sabrina instead of teasing them about their dancing skills, and rested her head on the ginger's shoulder dreamily. A bit further away, Kagami was standing still next to Adrien, listening, and trying to remain as stoic as she could as a small smile graced her lips, the gentlest hint of an emotion-overwhelming tear nestled against the outer corner of her eye, which Adrien kissed away, followed by a soft peck against the top of her head.

_ „I have faith in what I see_  
_Now I know I have met an angel in person_  
_And she looks perfect_  
_I don't deserve this_  
_You look perfect tonight“_

Slowly, the song came to an end... Marinette reached out her hand and almost immediately, Luka stood up, swinging his guitar onto his back and, closing the distance between them, swept her in his arms, twirling her in a small circle as she laughed before kissing her gently, the crowd cheering loud in front of them, both for the song and for them, with Alya whistling and loudly shouting „Elizabeth and Level 10 Darcy could _never_!“

When they pulled apart, Marinette waved to the crowd, just slightly embarrassed, now suddenly once again aware how they definitely very much weren't alone right now, and lead Luka down the stage and to the side. He pulled her close to him again, lips pressing down against her forehead.

„You sneaky little thing you“, he murmured lovingly against her skin.

Marinette shrugged, happily, „A little birdie brought it to my attention that we were both kind of terrified and broken about what this next school year will bring to us and I decided I needed to do something. But we're both fussy with words, so I chose the next best option“, she beamed, quite proud of herself and he chuckled.

„Was this little birdie perhaps a very rare purple-feathered bird?“, he teased with feigned inquisitiveness.

Marinette rested her hands against his chest, slight sadness colouring her features suddenly, „It was a little birdie that wanted nothing but the best for us and that's been worrying crazy about you and how you never put yourself first in any situation or with anyone for years now.“

Returning her sad smile with his own and took her hands and placed his lips against her knuckles for a moment. „And here I thought I'm supposed to be the big brother worrying for her and mom and everyone else, and not the other way around…“, he whispered. Marinette promptly shook her head.

„There are people worrying a lot for you, Luka, there are people who are most definitely here to stay…“, she smiled a shy coy smile at her own very obvious reassuring hint, „ … and these people will break down in sadness and despair if they ever see or cause your unhappiness in any shape, way or form, so really, you can look at it in a way that if you're not happy, people will _know_ even if you don't tell them, and then they'll be unhappy.“

He laughed softly again, cupping her face with his hands, „You know, you do make a compelling argument.“

„I know, right?“, she joked, „If it weren't for my crippling self-consciousness, I would be an _amazing_ lawyer“ They both chuckled, but Marinette quickly regained her seriousness for a moment.

„You _do_ know that I love you so incredibly much, that it takes over me completely, makes me a better person, completes me and affects me so strong it terrifies the heck out of me? And… If you feel at least somewhat of a same way, maybe we could just stop being silly or at the very least, you know, be terrified together?“ Her lips widened slightly again, but behind the humour, the emotion coursing through that smile was mixed with worry. Instinctively, Luka reached up and carefully stroked the corner of her bottom lip, almost as if he was trying to smooth the worry away.

„That sounds…“

„ … _perfect_?“, she smirked.

And with that, all the worry lingering between them seemed to have faded into a long awaited, resolute end.

„_Perfect_“, he agreed, before their lips crashed against each other, full of craving, love, soft giggles and happiness.


End file.
